Benjamin Morse for Bloomfield Board of Education

10/30/2025

Below is a school funding survey from the NJ DOE. They’re looking for feedback so don’t hold back.

10/21/2025

High impact tutoring works! Students are able to increase by 1 level on the state assessment rubric.
4 students + 1 teacher + 90 minutes (3xweek) + 10 weeks = Level UP!
$45/hr*1.5hr*3*10=$2,025.00. Or about $507/student to bring up an entire level.
Must be done for every student so they can be at grade level after 3rd grade.

10/20/2025

At the NJSBA conference talking about Arts in Ed. Figuring out how to incorporate more fine arts from visual to music & theatre in our elementary and middle schools is a top 3 priority for me. Because if you can figure that out so many other ducks need to be in a row that you might quack up!

10/16/2025

At last night’s candidates’ forum the other candidates all talked about the need for transparency.
What would you like more transparency about?
Curriculum?
Finance?
And would you be willing to pay for media that reports on the board of education?

10/08/2025

Earlier today Mayor Mundell announced she was looking into our pilot programs and the impact they have on our schools. Please see this video from the way back machine in 2018 when Mike Heller was told by the then mayor Mike Venezia that schools would recieve some per pupil $$$ from the Farand St development. If the district could recieve that money it would be great. (Forward to about minute 8 for Mr. Heller's questions and the mayor's response) https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/gmcC3sJ6AGUdIb568B18VQd22AGea7RE/playlists/6621/media/443481?autostart=false&showtabssearch=true&fullscreen=false

Send a message to learn more

09/27/2025

This article is right on in terms of funding but doesn’t mention the increases needed for classroom space that increased classifications bring.
Every year recently the district has had to convert music or art classes to special education classrooms.
This is another reason—Bloomfield needs more classroom space.

About 17% of New Jersey students are enrolled in special education programs.

09/24/2025

Just a little plug for the community. Great 5k shaping up on Oct. 18 for the first annual Boooomfield run/walk. Start with an espresso and finish with a gelato!

The Boooo-mfield 5k is on Saturday October 18, 2025. It includes the following events: 5K Run/Walk/Jog and Kids Halloween Dash (~1/2 Mile).

09/23/2025

Thoughts on cell phone ban in schools?
How bout yes to flip phones, no to smart phones?

Study commission wants limits in classrooms and during school days

09/10/2025

Was going to post about school finances and then thought I’d see if there were any questions?
Send them over.
We had a meeting last night accepting the Superintendent’s resignation effective end of June. Lots going on.

09/04/2025

QSAC: The Quality Single Accountability Continuum. This is the mechanism New Jersey DOE evaluates a public school system.
Bloomfield had probably never passed it since the state adopted the Free School Act in 1848. Who can forget those heady days of Horace Mann’s Common School Movement?
But then 4 new Board members came to town 7 years ago and changed the course of history.
Failing QSAC doesn’t matter. The state grants waivers when needed and simply pops a lot more paperwork on a district to fill out every year if it fails.
If it doesn’t matter, then why not pass it? What would it take to get a passing grade, we asked the administration.
The administration responded with vigor and hired interventionists to get more one-on-one tutoring work for students. Lo and behold we passed and somewhere the district’s first superintendent Dr. Joseph Austin Davis rolled over in his grave.

The lesson was clear. If we wanted to get better all we needed to do was raise expectations, develop and invest in a plan and then execute it.

We passed again in 2023 and then the next year the high school rankings jumped 100 places.

The Bloomfield School District has been given the state Department of Education’s seal of approval, recognizing it as a high-performing public school district. The results of the DOE’s most recent …

09/03/2025

In 2019, the Board commissioned a report on the state of affairs of the administration and markers on student success.
One thing that came out of it was a recognition that while BHS has a high graduation rate, a large percentage of students were not going to college straight after graduation.
What were we doing for those students to prepare for the working world?
Thus began a turn to develop-Career and Technical Education paths of study.
(https://www.nj.gov/education/cte/)

We now have 120+ students in these programs.
In that spirit, I spearheaded an effort to bring in a small airplane company to see if we could get a pipeline going to train the next generation of pilots and aeronautical experts.
In the age of AI, what would you recommend youngsters to study to make sure their employable?

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bloomfield/sections/education/articles/bloomfield-partners-with-costanzo-air-for-students-looking-to-soar-to-new-heights

Description

09/02/2025

Hello Bloomfield,
Happy September! I’d like to take a moment to announce my candidacy for reelection to the Board of Education and ask for your consideration in voting for me November 4.
I have been on the Board for 7 consecutive years, which must be why I got the Lucky 7 ballot position!
In the coming weeks I’ll post about the Board’s accomplishments over my term and my thoughts on the exciting possibilities and challenges ahead.

Also, a quick note on the slogan—“One for All.” It’s a Quirk, or superpower from the manga series—My Hero Academia—that its possessors use to fight the arch villain “All for One.” It was a happy coincidence I chose the slogan because being on the Board of Education is like a superpower can be used by its 9 members to unite and fight the ever present threats to public education.
Thanks again for your consideration,
Ben

PS—feel free to DM or email me any questions at [email protected]

Enjoy the day!